[Anonymous]

[DontTurnRight]

New Cathay livery. Marketing triumph or con?

Looks like a lot to pay to tweak a few items.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/XLskBTrhGek

[canucklad]

Thanks for the link DTR,…….

As a CX advocate and a lover of anything with the initials CP…..my opinion ..And .in a proper Jack and Victor Still game accent ,or for those south of the border Catherine Tate old Nan style ………..

“What a lot of shite”

Is it just me being daft, or did the experts from the so called marketing firm just spend a day plane spotting at Djakarta ?

[IstanbulWarrior]

Nice improvement, although I miss the old green and white stripe livery.

[AisleSeatTraveller]

whereas I quite like the new livery, it does seem a tad lazy from an effort perspective (no doubt the agency involved will talk of crisp, professional brand values etc, when in fact they spent more time on the justification than the actual piece of work)

[AndrewinHK]

I was sceptical about the new look, seeing it in real it does look better than in pictures. It operated its first revenue flight as CX548 this morning to Haneda and looks refreshed and clean, I’m surprised they have abandoned the red, a sly political statement perhaps….

[openfly]

I bet it cost a fortune….for the “clean look”.

The VoiceOver says…”the first thing you see on boarding and the last thing you see is the aircraft”. Errr, I reckon the first and last thing I see is the multitude of HSBC adverts on almost every jetty in the world! 🙂

[JohnHarper]

I dread to think how much Cathay paid for this make over. It’s a pity the grey stripe remains, IMO it would have been better to have turned it to a similar shade of green with is the only colour I ever associate with CX.

[AnthonyDunn]

Having debated with the neighbours using the Cathay Pacific teal green on the front door and surround (!) I rather like the colour. But beyond that, what on earth is the point when there is an almost imperceptible difference to what went before? I hadn’t realised that CX is so profitable that it can afford to splash the cash to no purpose.

[Charles-P]

Another reinforcement of my views regarding advertising and marketing people. 90% of the spend is a waste of money but the skill is in the identification of the 10% which is not. I think we can all agree this falls within the 90%.

[AndrewinHK]

@anthonydunn CX is not hugely profitable compared to other carriers, JAL IAG, Delta etc. CX has a much higher cost base, however it is protected by Hong Kong refusing to allow low cost carriers to be based at HKG.

CX has relied on load factor and aircraft utilization both of which have limits. CX needs to make meaningful cost savings which unfortunately are being found in cuts onboard and now the changes to Marco Polo club. Staff cost savings are very difficult for CX to accomplish, but onboard practices to streamline service are saving us money. Over exposure to cargo hurts CX as have bad hedging calls. But strong premium demand seems unwavering. Just flew a Chicago round trip, flight full in first and business, lighter load in economy class.

Back to the livery, it will save money, clean, simple, cheaper.

[AnthonyDunn]

@amc1234 – 02/11/2015 13:47 GMT

I had my tongue firmly in my cheek…

Some time back I posted the CAPA analysis of CX’s response to the prospect of having a part Qantas-owned Jetstar HK operation in their back yard. I don’t recall reading as incendiary and damning a report from CAPA: they excoriated CX for their blatant protectionism and self-interest. I invited responses on BT but …just about no-one felt like taking up the challenge.

Beyond that, I am much looking forward to my (and Snr Mgt’s) CX AMS-HKG-BKK (and thence onto RGN) and back itinerary in J in December/January.

[dodger10]

I think the new look is better and an improvement. Agree with others that the small change would have cost an arm and a leg… but overall I think it has given a more premium feel.

Would have been to have the whole background white, without the bottom greyish line

[IanFromHKG]

I’m with the others who think this falls in the “load of shite/waste of money” camp, and thought so when they introduced the new logo earlier in the year (on the run-up to launching the new Haneda lounge, if you recall). I too liked the red stripe, and this tosh about “freeing the brushwing” still sounds as ludicrous to me now as it did then. I also preferred the name logo with the larger C and P that it used to have – I liked the additional emphasis it gave.

I have been here long enough to remember when the existing livery and logo were announced. In fact, they were pre-announced, and the slightly satirical “Lai See” column in the SCMP invented their own version of what they thought it would look like, discussing the possibility of the standard elements of a stylised bird used by many airlines, blah blah blah, and then produced their own personal top pick which was… a brushwing. It was a remarkably accurate forecast, and the idea that one or two journos with no meaningful budget and very limited time could come up with a logo that was so similar to the one that no doubt cost millions just goes to show what a moneygrabbing charade some aspects (not all, I hasten to add!) can be.

Anyone who wants a good laugh at marketing people (and the legal profession) should take a look at these spoofs:
http://www.rollonfriday.com/Blogs/ReadBlog/tabid/144/id/22485/Default.aspx
http://rollonfriday.com/Blogs/ReadBlog/tabid/144/id/23842/Default.aspx

Happy (and stylish) travels, everyone!

[NTarrant]

@Openfly – quite agree, the only time you get to see the aircraft for the first time is if it is a bus transfer.

Can’t say there is any wow factor

[Author]

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